CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Down 10 points with two minutes left to go in the game, the Concord University men's basketball team nearly completed an improbable comeback, but lost 70-65 at the University of Charleston inside Eddie King Gymnasium Thursday night in Mountain East Conference action.
After the game was tied at halftime 34-34, Charleston (9-4, 4-3 MEC) opened up an 11-point lead 47-36 with 15:40 left in the game. Two quick buckets from sophomore guard
Aaron Miller got CU (7-5, 3-4 MEC) back to within seven points, 47-40.
However, it was close as the Mountain Lions would get until they found themselves trailing 66-56 with 2:16 left in the contest. Junior guard
Rob Reed ignited the start of a 9-0 Concord run by converting a layup. Reed's basket was followed by three points from junior forward
Jametrius Wade. Junior forward
Terry Hopewell tipped back in a missed Wade free throw to make it a 66-63 game with 1:29 remaining in the game.
A turnover on the ensuing Charleston possession and a subsequent layup by sophomore guard
B.J. Hamlet capped the run to show a score of 66-65.
The Golden Eagles' next possession rendered a missed shot, but Charleston's Tino DiTrapano tracked down the loose rebound and made two foul shots to extend the lead to 68-65.
Concord was unable to attempt a shot after a foul was called on the Maroon and Gray. UC made two additional free throws to sink any hope of a Concord comeback.
The game's first half featured four ties and six lead changes as neither led by more than seven points in the first 20 minutes of action.
Hamlet paced the Concord offense in the first half as he scored 11 of his 15 points during that time. Hamlet also snared a career-high nine rebounds.
Reed came off the bench to score 12 points and senior guard
Mike Boyd tied his season high with three steals.
The Mountain Lions will return home Saturday to play Fairmont State at 4:00 p.m.
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